Q and A with Hannah Clayson Smith

Published: Saturday, Dec. 25 2010 10:00 p.m. MST

1. Please describe a formative moment or circumstance in your life that set you on the course you've pursued.

I think the most formative moments were when I had the honor to serve two wonderful justices of the U.S. Supreme Court — Justice Thomas and Justice Alito. The opportunity to work closely with these two jurists on novel legal issues that affect the lives of all Americans was a seminal experience for me.

2. Why did you agree to serve on the editorial advisory board for the Deseret News?

The Deseret News is a unique forum for stories that highlight the good in the world and illuminate perspectives that project important values. I look forward to contributing to an enterprise that can have such a significant impact.

3. What do you see as the future of journalism? Where do you see it going?

The digital delivery of news via the Internet — and the personal customization of news gathering that it enables — will continue to transform the face of journalism. The reading public for given news content can be much broader (even global); readers can receive a wider variety of news sources, viewpoints, and stories; and readers can easily focus precisely on the subjects that really interest them, regardless of the source or surrounding content. That presents an opportunity for media outlets to attract new readers based on content, rather than geography or affiliation. As some news sources slip towards entertainment or triviality, the values-based content and perspective of the Deseret News provide a trusted voice on events and trends that really matter to readers.